Snow plow mounting assembly

ABSTRACT

A snow plow assembly having a mounting assembly including a locking mechanism for securing a snow plow frame to a mounting frame of a vehicle, and for enabling the snow plow frame to be dismounted from the vehicle mounting frame. The locking mechanism may be configured such that a locking member is biased toward a lock position when an actuator is moved in a first direction beyond a threshold position, and the locking member is biased toward a release position when the actuator is moved in an opposite direction beyond the threshold position. The locking mechanism may include a plurality of locking members that are simultaneously moved between lock and release positions when the actuator effects such simultaneous movement. The snow plow assembly may include a stand assembly having a stand that can freely drop from an elevated position to the ground when actuated to release the stand.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/813,336 filed Mar. 4, 2019, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to snow plows, and more particularly to snow plow assemblies having a mounting assembly for securely mounting and releasably dismounting the plow assembly from a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Snow plow assemblies are used on commercial, residential, or all-purpose vehicles for removing snow from the ground. A typical snow plow assembly includes a mounting frame coupled to a moldboard assembly for plowing the snow, a push frame pivotably connected to the mounting frame for allowing lateral pivoting movement of the mounting frame and moldboard assembly, and a lift frame operatively coupled to the push frame for vertically raising or lowering the push frame and moldboard.

Snow plow assemblies are commonly mountable and dismountable from the vehicle. Such snow plow assemblies typically include a locking mechanism, such as a spring-loaded pin, for securing the plow assembly when mounted on a mounting frame of the vehicle, and for permitting the releasable dismounting of the plow assembly from the vehicle. Such conventional locking mechanisms are typically located on each side of the plow frame and require independent actuation to lock or release the plow frame from the vehicle mounting frame via the locking pin on each side of the frame. This need to move around each side of the plow assembly to lock or release the plow to or from the vehicle is cumbersome to the operator. Moreover, such conventional locking mechanisms are usually biased only toward the lock position, which makes it difficult to release the locking mechanism on each side of the plow frame, particularly when the locking pin is loaded with the weight of the mounted plow assembly.

Such conventional snow plow assemblies also commonly include a stand assembly for supporting and balancing the plow when dismounted and resting on the ground. Such stand assemblies may typically include a hand-cranked jack stand for moving the stand up and down. Such hand-cranked actuation of the jack stand can be time consuming for the operator to crank the stand up and down.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a snow plow assembly that improves the operation of securely mounting and releasably dismounting the plow assembly from a vehicle.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides a snow plow mounting assembly having a locking mechanism with an automatic locking feature for securely mounting the plow assembly to a vehicle when the locking mechanism is actuated in one direction, and has an automatic unlocking feature for releasably dismounting the plow assembly from the vehicle when the locking mechanism is actuated in another direction.

More particularly, according to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow mounting assembly includes: a snow plow frame configured to be mounted to a mounting frame of a vehicle; a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the locking mechanism having an actuator and a locking member, the actuator being operatively coupled to the locking member and configured to selectively move the locking member between a lock position for securing the snow plow frame to the mounting frame of the vehicle, and a release position for enabling the snow plow frame to be dismounted from the mounting frame; wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that the locking member is biased toward the lock position when the actuator is moved in a first direction beyond a threshold position, and the locking member is biased toward the release position when the actuator is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction beyond the threshold position.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a snow plow mounting assembly having a locking mechanism with locking members that are simultaneously moved between lock and release positions when the locking mechanism is actuated to effect such simultaneous movement.

More particularly, according to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow mounting assembly includes: a snow plow frame having laterally spaced apart first and second receivers configured to receive corresponding first and second mounting brackets of a mounting frame of a vehicle for enabling the snow plow frame to be mounted to the vehicle; a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the locking mechanism including: a first locking member configured to interface with the first receiver of the snow plow frame; a second locking member configured to interface with the second receiver of the snow plow frame; and an actuator operatively coupled to both the first and second locking members, wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that movement of the actuator in a first direction simultaneously moves the first and second locking members toward respective lock positions for securing the first and second receivers to the respective first and second mounting brackets thereby mounting the snow plow frame to the mounting frame of the vehicle; and wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that movement of the actuator in a second direction opposite the first direction simultaneously moves the first and second locking members toward respective release positions for enabling the respective first and second mounting brackets to be removed from the first and second receivers thereby enabling dismounting of the snow plow frame from the mounting frame of the vehicle.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a snow plow assembly having a stand that can freely drop from an elevated position to the ground when a stand locking mechanism is actuated to release the stand, and in which the stand is locked in position to support at least part of the snow plow frame when the stand locking mechanism is actuated to lock the stand.

More particularly, according to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow assembly includes: a snow plow frame; a stand assembly operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the stand assembly including: a stand that is axially moveable relative to the snow plow frame between a lower position in which the stand engages the ground and supports at least a portion of the snow plow frame, and an upper position in which the stand is elevated above the ground; and a stand locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the stand locking mechanism having an actuator and a locking member, wherein the actuator is operatively coupled to the locking member and is configured to move the locking member between a lock position in which the locking member engages and secures the stand in either the upper or lower position, and a release position in which the locking member disengages from the stand to allow the stand to freely move between the upper and lower positions.

The following description and the annexed drawings set forth certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features according to aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The annexed drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, show various aspects of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective front side view of an exemplary snow plow assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective front view of the snow plow assembly shown with the moldboard removed for further clarity.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the snow plow assembly shown in a mounted stated.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the snow plow assembly shown in a dismounted state.

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the snow plow assembly shown with the push frame removed for further clarity, and showing an exemplary mounting assembly and exemplary locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the snow plow assembly showing the locking mechanism with a cam plate removed for further clarity.

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the mounting assembly and the locking mechanism shown with the cam plate removed, in which the snow plow assembly is mounted to a mounting frame of the vehicle and the locking mechanism is in an exemplary locked state.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the mounting assembly and locking mechanism in the state shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a rear plan view of the mounting assembly and locking mechanism in the state shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the mounting assembly and the locking mechanism shown with the cam plate removed, in which the snow plow assembly is mounted to the mounting frame of the vehicle and the locking mechanism is in an exemplary intermediate state between its lock state and release state.

FIG. 10A is an enlarged view from FIG. 10, showing the locking mechanism in the exemplary intermediate state, but now with the cam plate shown and with a cover bracket of the lever removed.

FIG. 11 is a bottom plan view of the mounting assembly and the locking mechanism shown with the cam plate removed, in which the snow plow assembly is dismounted from the mounting frame of the vehicle and the locking mechanism is in an exemplary release state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The principles and aspects of the present invention have particular application to snow plow assemblies for a vehicle, including commercial, residential, or all-purpose vehicles, and will be described below chiefly in this context. It is also understood, however, that the principles and aspects of the present invention may be applicable to other plow assemblies or vehicle-mounted accessories for other applications where desirable.

In the discussion above and to follow, the terms “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “bottom,” “inner,” “outer,” “left,” “right,” “above,” “below,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” etc. refer to the snow plow assembly as viewed in a horizontal position, as shown in FIG. 1, for example. As generally used herein, and unless otherwise provided in a different context, the terms forward and rearward are used synonymously with being in a longitudinal direction of the snow plow assembly, which is generally designated in the Y-direction in the figures; the terms left and right are used synonymously with being in a transverse or lateral direction, which is generally designated in the X-direction in the figures; and the terms upwards, downwards, vertical, or the like are used synonymously with being in a vertical direction, which is generally designated in the Z-direction in the figures. Furthermore, for the sake of clarity, the Y-direction has been oriented to point forward along a horizontal plane in the figures, the X-direction has been oriented to point left along the horizontal plane in the figures, and the Z-direction has been oriented to point upwards along a vertical plane in the figures. All of this is done realizing that such snow plow assemblies can be raised, lowered, inclined, declined, canted, etc., such as when being used on a vehicle.

Referring to FIGS. 1-11, an exemplary snow plow assembly 10 is shown having an exemplary mounting assembly 12 that facilitates the plow assembly 10 to be securely mounted to, or releasably dismounted from, a vehicle 14. As will be described in further detail below, in exemplary embodiments the mounting assembly 12 includes a locking mechanism 16 operatively coupled to a frame of the plow assembly 10 for selectively locking or releasing the plow assembly 10 to or from the vehicle 14. In exemplary embodiments, the locking mechanism 16 provides an automatic locking feature by being biased toward a lock position when the locking mechanism 16 is actuated in one direction, and the locking mechanism 16 includes an automatic unlocking feature by being biased toward a release position when the locking mechanism 16 is actuated in another direction. Alternatively or additionally, in exemplary embodiments the locking mechanism 16 may include a plurality of locking members 18 that are simultaneously moved between lock and release positions when the locking mechanism 16 is actuated to effect such simultaneous movement of the locking members 18. Alternatively or additionally, in exemplary embodiments the snow plow assembly 10 includes a stand assembly 20 that allows a stand 22 to freely drop from an elevated position to the ground when actuated to release the stand, and may be actuated to lock the stand so that the stand may support at least a portion of the plow assembly 10. Such exemplary features of the snow plow assembly 10 are described in further detail below

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the snow plow assembly 10 generally includes a push frame 24 to which a moldboard 26 is mountable for enabling removal of snow, and a lift frame 28 configured for mounting to the vehicle 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the snow plow assembly 10 includes a moldboard mounting bar 30 having one or more mounting interfaces 32, such as suitable brackets or the like, for operatively mounting the moldboard 26 to the push frame 24. As shown, the moldboard mounting bar 30 is pivotably connected to the push frame 24 via suitable connectors 34, such as via one or more brackets and bolts, for enabling lateral pivoting movement (e.g., left/right pivoting movement) of the mounting bar 30 relative to the push frame 24 about a vertical pivot axis. One or more pivot devices 36 may be connected to the left and/or right sides of the moldboard mounting bar 30, and connected to the left and/or right sides of the push frame 24, to enable the pivoting movement of the mounting bar 30 about the vertical pivot axis. In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot devices 36 are fluid-operated piston-cylinder devices that may extend and retract to provide such pivoting movement to the moldboard mounting bar 30.

The moldboard 26 may be any suitable type of moldboard or moldboard assembly, such as a straight moldboard, a V-shaped moldboard, or the like, and may have one or more plow blade edges for engaging the ground. The moldboard 26 may have corresponding mounting interfaces 38 for mounting to the mounting interfaces 32 of the moldboard mounting bar 30. It is understood that although the moldboard mount bar 30 is shown pivotably mounted to the push frame 24 for operatively coupling the moldboard 26, the moldboard 26 may be directly connected to the push frame 24, either removably or non-removably, and with or without pivoting movement, as may be desirable for particular applications.

In the illustrated embodiment, the push frame 24 is configured as an A-frame having rear crossbar 40 and a pair of side bars 42 arranged in a triangular or “A” configuration. The side bars 42 converge in the forward direction to form a vertex portion of the push frame 24, which may include the interface 38 for pivotably mounting the moldboard mounting bar 30. The rear crossbar 40 extends in a transverse direction and is operatively connected to the side bars 42 via any suitable means, such as welding or fastening. The push frame 24 also includes a pair of rearwardly projecting left and right ears 44 (also referred to as rearward projections) that are connected to the lateral sides of the rear cross bar 40 via suitable couplings 46, which enable the push frame 24 to be coupled to the lift frame 28.

The lift frame 28 is generally vertically oriented and includes an upper portion 48 that extends upright above the push frame 24, and a lower portion 49 that is coupled to the push frame 24 such as via the couplings 46. As shown, the lift frame 28 includes a pair of vertical support members 50 that are transversely spaced apart frame one another. One or more transverse crossmembers 52, 54 may connect the vertical members 50 at the upper portion 48 of the lift frame 28. As shown, a lift device 56 is mounted to the lift frame 28 and is also operatively coupled to the push frame 24 such that activation of the lift device 56 vertically raises or lowers the push frame 24 and the moldboard 26 relative to a horizontal plane. In the illustrated embodiment, a forwardly extending lift arm 60 is operably coupled to one of the crossmembers 54, and a tether 62, such as a chain or other suitable linkage, operably connects the lift arm 60 to the push frame 24. The lift device 56 is coupled to the cross member 52 on one end of the lift device 56, and is connected to the lift arm 60 at the opposite end of the lift device 56. In the illustrated embodiment, the lift device 56 is a fluid operated piston-cylinder device in which extension or retraction of the device causes the lift arm 60 to pivot upwards or downwards relative to the crossmember 54 and the vertical support members 50, thereby causing the forward portion of the push frame 24 to raise or lower via the chain 62.

As shown, the lift frame 28 also may include a housing 64 that spans the space between the vertical support members 50. The housing 64 may contain electronic and/or fluid (e.g., hydraulic) devices, which may be provided in a well-known manner. The housing 64 also may act as a shield to the snow. As shown, one or more electrical conduits 66 and/or one or more fluid conduits 68 may extend from the housing 64 to provide a source of power to one or more of the pivot devices 30, lift device 56, and/or lights 70. One or more additional communication conduits 72 also are provided for operatively connecting the electronic and/or fluid devices of the snow plow assembly to a controller located inside of the cabin of the vehicle 14.

In exemplary embodiments, the plow assembly 10 also may include a mount switch 74 that is operatively connected to the electrical and/or fluid devices (e.g., lift device 56) of the plow assembly 10 for facilitating mounting and dismounting of the plow assembly 10 from the vehicle 14. For example, the mount switch 74 may be a toggle switch that when activated in one direction actuates the lift cylinder 56 to tilt the lift frame 28 forward to dismount the snow plow assembly 10 from a mounting frame 76 of the vehicle 14 (as shown in FIG. 4, for example). The mount switch 74 also may be activated in another direction to actuate the cylinder 56 to tilt the lift frame 28 rearward to enable mounting of the snow plow assembly 10 to the mounting frame 76 of the vehicle (as shown in FIG. 3, for example). Such mounting and dismounting of the plow assembly 10 to the vehicle 14 is described in further detail below.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, and more particularly to FIG. 5, the exemplary stand assembly 20 of the plow assembly 10 will now be described in further detail. As shown, the stand assembly 20 includes the stand 22 which is axially moveable relative to the lift frame 28 between an upper position in which the stand 22 is elevated above the ground (FIG. 3), and a lower position in which the stand 22 engages the ground and supports at least a portion of the plow assembly 10 including lift frame 28 (FIG. 4). The stand assembly 20 also includes a stand locking mechanism 78 operatively coupled to the lift frame 28 for engaging or disengaging the stand 22. In exemplary embodiments, the stand locking mechanism 78 includes an actuator 80 and a locking member 82 operatively coupled to the actuator 80. The actuator 80 is configured to move the locking member 82 between a lock position in which the locking member 82 engages and secures the stand 22 in either the upper or lower position (as shown in FIG. 5, for example), and a release position in which the locking member 82 disengages from the stand 22 to allow the stand 22 to freely move between the upper and lower positions.

In the illustrated embodiment, the stand 22 is configured as a drop foot that freely drops from the upper position to the lower position when the actuator 80 is engaged to move the locking member 82 to the release position, thereby providing quick deployment and use of the stand 22. As shown, the stand 22 may be guided between its upper and lower positions by sliding axially within a mounting bracket 84 that is connected to the cross-member 52 of the lift frame 28. In exemplary embodiments, the stand 22 includes a main body portion 86 and a foot portion 88 at the bottom of the body portion 86. The foot portion 88 may have a wider base than the body portion 86 for providing improved stability, and the foot portion 88 also may include grip element(s) for improving grip with the ground. In the illustrated embodiment, the stand 22 also includes an upper grip portion 90, such as a handle, at the top of the body portion 86 which enables the operator to grip and manipulate the stand 22 from above the plow assembly 10. For example, the upper grip portion 90 allows the operator to pull up on the stand 22 to move the stand 22 to the upper position when the plow assembly 10 is mounted and in use.

As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the actuator 80 of the stand locking mechanism 78 includes an actuator handle 92 that is disposed on the outside of the lift frame 28 for facilitating actuation by the operator. The actuator handle 92 is operatively coupled to an actuator arm 94, such as being integral and/or unitary with the arm 94, such that movement of the handle 92 moves the arm 94. In the illustrated embodiment, the actuator handle 92 and the actuator arm 94 are axially moveable along a lateral axis 95 between a lock position (shown in FIG. 5) and a release position (not shown). As shown, the actuator 80 of the stand assembly may further include a biasing member 96, such as a compression spring, that is disposed on an opposite side of the lift frame 28 from the handle 92, and which is configured to bias the actuator arm 94 toward its lock position (e.g., toward the right in FIG. 5).

As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the actuator arm 94 is operatively coupled to a lever 98 via a suitable connector 100, such as a fastener (e.g., pin), that allows the lever 98 to rotate about the connector 100. The lever 98 is pivotable about a pivot point. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking member 82 is configured as a locking pin 82, and the lever 98 is operatively coupled to the locking pin 82 via a suitable connector 106, such as a pin, which allows the lever 98 to pivot relative to the locking pin 82 and provide linear motion to the locking pin 82 along a longitudinal axis. As shown, the locking pin 82 may extend through a through hole 108 in a portion of the bracket 104, and may be supported by a bushing 110 to help guide the locking pin 82 along the longitudinal axis. In exemplary embodiments, the main body portion 86 of the stand 22 includes a plurality of spaced apart apertures 112 through which the locking pin 82 may extend to lock the stand 22 in one of a plurality of discrete positions between its upper and lower position.

In operation, when the operator desires to lower the stand 22 from an elevated position (as shown in FIG. 3, for example), such as for dismounting the plow assembly 10, the operator may pull laterally outwardly on the actuator handle 92 toward its release position (e.g., toward the left in FIG. 5) against the biasing force provided by the biasing member 96. This movement of the handle 92 toward its release position will move the actuator arm 94 and lever 98 in such a way to withdraw the locking pin 82 from one of the apertures 112 in the stand 22, which allows the stand 22 to freely drop to the ground due to gravity (as shown in FIG. 4, for example). The operator may then release the handle 92, whereby the biasing member 96 will bias the actuator arm 94, lever 98, and locking pin 82 back toward their respective lock positions, such that the locking pin 82 extends through one of the stand apertures 112 to lock the stand 22 in the lower position for supporting at least a portion of the plow assembly 10.

When the operator desires to raise the stand 22 from the lower position (as shown in FIG. 4, for example), the operator may pull laterally outwardly on the actuator handle 92 toward its release position (e.g., toward the left in FIG. 5) against the bias of the biasing member 96, thereby moving the actuator arm 94 and lever 98 in such a way to withdraw the locking pin 82 from one of the apertures 112 in the stand 22 and allowing the stand 22 to freely move. While the operator holds the handle 92 in the release position with one hand, the operator may grasp the upper grip portion 90 of the stand 22 and lift the stand 22 to an elevated position (as shown in FIG. 3, for example). While holding the stand 22 at the elevated position, the operator may then release the handle 92, in which the biasing member 96 will bias the actuator arm 94, lever 98, and locking pin 82 back toward their respective lock positions, such that the locking pin 82 extends through one of the apertures 112 to lock the stand 22 in the elevated position.

Referring generally to FIGS. 3 and 4, and more particularly to FIGS. 5-11, the exemplary mounting assembly 12 for mounting and dismounting of the snow plow assembly 10 to and from the vehicle 14 will now be described in further detail. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the vehicle 14 includes the mounting frame 76 which is operatively attached to the vehicle via a mount frame bar 114. The vehicle 14 may be any suitable vehicle, such as a commercial, industrial, commuter, residential, or all-purpose vehicle. The mounting frame 76 may be removably attached to the vehicle 14, or may be fixedly attached such as via welding to the vehicle frame in a manner well known in the art. The mounting frame 76 also includes one or more mounting brackets 116 extending forwardly from the mounting frame bar 114 for being received in corresponding mounting receivers 118 of the lift frame 28. The mounting frame 76 also includes a push bar 120 that extends laterally across the mounting brackets 116 for mounting of the lift frame 28 thereon as discussed below.

In exemplary embodiments, the snow plow mounting assembly 12 has the mounting receivers 118 at the lower portion 49 of the lift frame 28, which may be configured as clevis receivers 118 for receiving the corresponding mounting brackets 116 of the vehicle mounting frame 76. As shown, the clevis receivers 118 may include laterally spaced apart inner and outer lift frame members 122, 124 that extend toward the rear of the lower portion 49 of the lift frame. When the snow plow assembly 10 is mounted to the vehicle 14, the vehicle 14 may be driven forward such that the forwardly protruding mounting brackets 116 of the vehicle mounting frame 76 are slidably received within the clevis receivers 118. In exemplary embodiments, the inner lift frame members 122 and the outer lift frame members 124 may each have hooks 126 that are configured to engage and hook onto the push bar 120 that extends laterally across the mounting brackets 116. The mounting hooks 126 may allow for a quick mounting or dismounting of the plow assembly 10 for support thereof onto the push bar 120 without the use of tools. The push bar 120 may be configured as the primary mounting structure for the vehicle mounting frame 76, such that the majority of the forces exerted on the plow assembly 10 are transmitted between the push frame 120 and the lift frame 28, such as via the hooks 126.

Still referring to generally to FIGS. 3 and 4, and more particularly to FIGS. 5-11, the exemplary locking mechanism 16 of the mounting assembly portion 12 of the plow assembly 10 will now be described in further detail. Generally, the exemplary locking mechanism 16 is configured to secure the plow assembly 10 to the mounting frame 76 of the vehicle 14, such as by securing the receivers 118 of the lift frame 28 to the mounting brackets 116 of the vehicle mounting frame 76. In exemplary embodiments, the locking mechanism 16 includes an actuator 128 and at least one locking member 18. The actuator 128 is operatively coupled to the locking member(s) 18, and is configured to selectively move the locking member(s) 18 between a lock position for securing the snow plow frame 10 to the mounting frame 76 of the vehicle 14 (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, for example), and a release position for enabling the snow plow frame 10 to be dismounted from the mounting frame 76 (as shown in FIGS. 4 and 11, for example).

As noted above and described in further detail below, in exemplary embodiments the locking mechanism 16 provides an automatic locking feature by being configured such that the locking member 18 is biased toward the lock position when the actuator 128 is moved in a first direction beyond a threshold position. The exemplary locking mechanism 16 also provides an automatic unlocking feature by being configured such that the locking member 18 is biased toward the release position when the actuator 128 is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction beyond the threshold position. Alternatively or additionally, as noted above and described in further detail below, in exemplary embodiments the locking mechanism 16 includes a plurality of locking members 18 that are simultaneously moved between lock and release positions when the actuator 128 is operated to effect such simultaneous movement of the locking members 18.

As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the locking members 18 may be configured as locking pins 18 that are linearly movable along a lateral axis 130. As shown, the locking pins 18 are configured to extend through corresponding receiver openings 132, 133 in the mounting receivers 118. In the illustrated embodiment, the receiver openings 132, 133 are through-holes in the inner and outer lift frame members 122, 124, such that the locking pins 18 can extend across and through both lift frame members 122, 124. In exemplary embodiments, the locking pins 18 may be guided in the axial direction by one or more structures provided by the lift frame 28. For example, the lift frame 28 may include a crossmember 134 that extends between the receivers 118 of the lift frame 28. The crossmember 134 may include one or more support plates 136, or brackets, which include through-holes for supporting and/or guiding the locking pins 18 as they move linearly along the lateral axis.

As shown, the forwardly extending mounting brackets 116 of the vehicle mounting frame 76 also include through-holes 138 which are configured to receive the locking pins 18. When the mounting brackets 116 of the mounting frame 76 of the vehicle are inserted into the mounting receivers 118 of the lift frame 28 such that the respective through-holes 132, 133, 138 align with each other, the locking pins 18 may extend across the inner and outer lift frame members 122, 124, and also across the mounting brackets 116. In this manner, when the locking pins 18 are in their respective locked positions (as shown in FIG. 7, for example), the locking pins 18 engage both the mounting receivers 118 and the mounting brackets 116 to interfere with the relative movement therebetween. This restriction to the relative movement between the mounting brackets 116 and the receivers 118 of the lift frame 28 thereby secures the plow assembly 10 to the vehicle mounting frame 76. On the other hand, when the locking pins 18 are moved toward their respective release positions (as shown in FIG. 11, for example), the locking pins 18 are retracted and disengaged from at least the mounting brackets 116 of the vehicle mounting frame 76, such that the mounting brackets 116 are clear to be withdrawn from the receivers 118 for dismounting the plow assembly 10 from the vehicle mounting frame 76. As shown, when the locking pins 18 are in their respective release positions, the locking pins 18 still may rest in the through holes 132 of the inner lift frame members 122 to facilitate guiding of the locking pins 18 as they move axially between the lock and release positions.

In exemplary embodiments, each of the locking pins 18 is operatively coupled to respective locking pin linkages 140, which are operatively coupled to a rotatable cam 142. In the illustrated embodiment, the cam 142 is operatively coupled to an underside of the cross-member 134 with a suitable connector 144, such as a fastener, that allows the cam 142 to rotate about a rotational axis 146 provided by the connector 144. In exemplary embodiments, the cam 142 may include two cam plates 142 a, 142 b that are spaced apart and configured to contain the ends of the locking pin linkages 140 therebetween. The lower cam plate 142 a is shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, but is removed from FIGS. 6, 7, 10 and 11 to more clearly show the operation of the exemplary locking mechanism 16.

As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the locking pin linkages 140 are coupled to the locking pins 18 via suitable connectors 148, such as fasteners (e.g., pins), which allow the respective locking pin linkages 140 to pivot relative to their corresponding locking pin 18. The opposite ends of the locking pin linkages 140 are operatively coupled to the cam 142 via suitable connectors 150, such as a fastener, stud or other protrusion on the cam 142. As shown, the locking pin linkages 140 are operatively coupled to the cam 142 at respective locations that are offset from the rotational axis 146 of the cam 142. This offset arrangement allows the rotational movement of the cam 142 to translate to linear movement of the locking pins 18 along the axis 130 via movement of the lock pin linkages 140 connected to the cam 142.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the cam 142 is moved in a clockwise rotational direction within a certain degree of revolution (e.g., less than 180-degrees), the locking pins 18 are moved axially outward to extend through the respective through-holes (132, 133, 138) to lockingly engage the lift frame receivers 118 and the mounting frame brackets 116, thereby securing the plow assembly 10 to the vehicle mounting frame 76. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, for example, when the cam 142 is moved in a counterclockwise rotational direction within a certain degree of revolution (e.g., less than 180-degrees), the locking pins 18 are moved axially inward to withdraw from at least the through-holes 138 of the mounting brackets 116. This retraction of the locking pins 18 clears the interference between the mounting brackets 116 and the receivers 118, thereby permitting releasable dismounting of the plow assembly 10 from the vehicle mounting frame 76.

In exemplary embodiments, the locking pin linkages 140 are configured as rigid arms that may directly drive the locking pins 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking pin linkages 140 also include axially elongated slots 154 through which the connectors 150 on the cam 142 may slide. In this manner, the cam 142 may drive the locking pin linkages 140 via the connectors 150 when the connectors 150 are at the axial ends of the slot 154, but the elongated slot 154 permits some degree of movement of the cam 142 independently of movement of the locking pin linkages 140, thereby providing a degree of slack. Such slack may be particularly useful for avoiding forceful insertion or withdrawal of the locking pins 18 from the through-holes (132, 133, 138), which otherwise could cause wear of the locking pin 18 or other components. As will be described in further detail below, the axially elongated slots 154 also may be used to put the locking pin linkages 140, and thereby the locking pins 18, into a biased state for enabling automatic retraction of the locking pins 18.

In exemplary embodiments, the actuator 128 includes a lever 156 that is operatively coupled to an actuator linkage 158, which is operatively coupled to the cam 142. In the illustrated embodiment, the lever 156 is operatively coupled to a portion of the lift frame 28 via a suitable connector 160, such as a fastener, which provides a pivot axis 162 about which the actuator lever 156 pivots. The lever 156 is operatively coupled to the actuator linkage 158 via a suitable connector 164, such as a pin, such that pivoting of the lever 156 causes the actuator linkage 158 to move back and forth generally in the lateral direction to thereby effect movement of the cam 142. In exemplary embodiments, the lever 156 is configured as a foot pedal, which is mounted to an outer part of the lift frame 28, such as at the lower portion 49 of the lift frame 28, to facilitate ease of actuation of the lever 156 by the operator. As shown, the lever 156 is located below the handle 92 of the stand assembly actuator 80, such that the operator can operate the stand assembly 20 and operate the locking mechanism 16 from the same side of the plow assembly 10.

In the illustrated embodiment, the actuator linkage 158 is configured as a rigid arm that directly drives the cam 142 clockwise or counterclockwise, in which this rotational movement of the cam 142 moves the respective locking pins 18 via the respective locking pin linkages 140 as discussed above. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the actuator linkage 158 is operatively coupled to the cam 142 with the same connector 150 (referred to also with reference numeral 150 a in the top view of FIG. 8 for further clarity) as one of the locking pin linkages 140. In this manner, the actuator linkage 158 is coupled to the cam 142 at a location that is offset from the center of rotation of the cam 142, such that the generally linear movement of the actuator linkage 158 is translated into rotational movement of the cam 142.

As discussed above, in exemplary embodiments the locking mechanism 16 is configured such that the locking members 18 (e.g., locking pins 18) are each simultaneously moved between the lock and release positions when the actuator 128 of the locking mechanism effects such movement. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, movement of the actuator 128 in a first direction (e.g., rotating the lever 156 counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 7, such that the actuator linkage 158 moves to the left) will rotate the cam 142 clockwise, thereby causing simultaneously movement of the first and second locking members 18 toward respective lock positions (e.g., outwardly) for securing the first and second receivers 118 to the respective first and second mounting brackets 116. Likewise, movement of the actuator 128 in a second direction opposite the first direction (e.g., rotating the lever clockwise as shown in FIG. 11, such that the actuator linkage 158 moves to the right) will rotate the cam 142 counterclockwise, thereby causing simultaneous movement of the first and second locking members 18 toward respective release positions (e.g. inwardly) for enabling the respective first and second mounting brackets 116 to be removed from the first and second receivers 118. As shown in FIG. 11, to prevent the locking pins 18 from over-retracting and falling out of the lift frame holes 132, the locking pin linkages 140 may each include a stop 166, such as a shoulder or other type of catch, that may engage the connector 144 at the center of the cam 142.

As discussed above, in exemplary embodiments, when the locking mechanism 16 is actuated toward its lock state (e.g., FIG. 7), the locking member(s) 18 may be configured to be biased toward their lock position(s) for enabling an automatic locking engagement with the mounting bracket(s) 116 and the receiver(s) 118 of the lift frame 28. On the other hand, when the locking mechanism 16 is actuated toward its release state (e.g., FIG. 11), the locking member(s) 18 may be configured to be biased toward their release position(s) for enabling an automatic unlocking disengagement that allows the mounting bracket(s) 116 to be released from the receiver(s) 118. As discussed in further detail below, whether the locking mechanism 16 is in the lock or release state for providing such bias toward the lock or release positions may depend on the position of the actuator 128 relative to a threshold position. The locking mechanism 16 also may include one or more biasing members (described below) to effect such biasing functionality.

In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the locking mechanism 16 may include at least one biasing member 168 that is operatively coupled to the actuator linkage 158. In exemplary embodiments, the biasing member 168 is a spring that is connected at one end to the crossmember 134 of the lift frame proximate to the actuator lever 156, and at an opposite end is connected to an ear 170 of the actuator linkage 158 proximate to the connector 150 at the cam 142. As discussed below, the biasing member 168 is generally configured to bias the actuator linkage 158 toward its lock position (e.g., to the left in FIG. 7, for example) depending on the position of the actuator linkage 158 and/or the lever 156.

As shown in the comparison between the illustrated states in FIG. 11 and FIG. 7, for example, the actuator's biasing member 168 is configured to effect a bias toward the lock position when the connection point of the actuator linkage 158 at the lever 156 (e.g., the connector 164) moves beyond the lever's over-center position 152 (e.g., the threshold position, as shown in FIG. 10A) in a first direction (e.g., the lever 156 is rotated counterclockwise from the position shown in FIG. 11 to the position shown in FIG. 7). For example, as shown in the illustrated state in FIG. 11, the biasing member 168 is in a tensioned state (e.g., the spring is stretched), and when the connector 164 of the actuator linkage 158 rotates counterclockwise beyond the lever's over-center position 152 (e.g., threshold position), the actuator linkage 158 becomes automatically biased toward its lock position (FIG. 7) without any additional assistance. Such movement of the actuator linkage 158 rotates the cam 142 in a first rotational direction (e.g., clockwise in FIG. 7), which thereby drives the locking pin linkages 140 and causes the locking pins 18 to move outwardly toward their lock positions (as shown in FIG. 7).

On the other hand, when the connection point of the actuator linkage 158 at the lever 156 (e.g., connector 164) is moved beyond the lever's over-center position 152 (e.g., threshold position) in the opposite direction to an exemplary hold position (e.g. the lever 156 is rotated clockwise from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIGS. 10, 10A and 11), the biasing member 168 does not urge the actuator linkage 158 to its lock position (e.g., left in FIGS. 10 and 11) even though the biasing member 168 is tensioned; rather, the locking mechanism 16 is configured in such a way to negate the biasing force of the biasing member 168 (e.g., by virtue of the angle of the actuator linkage 158 and/or lever 156 in this position), thereby selectively holding the actuator linkage 158 in this hold position without movement. As shown, the actuator linkage 158 may engage the lift frame crossmember 134 to help prevent over-rotation of the lever 156 in the release position (e.g., at the hold position).

Also as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the locking mechanism 16 may include biasing members 172, such as springs, that are operatively coupled to each of the locking pins 18 and the corresponding connectors 150 on the cam. In this manner, these respective biasing members 172 are generally configured to bias the locking pins 18 toward their respective release positions (e.g., toward the inside of the lift frame 28 as shown in FIG. 11, for example) depending on the position of the actuator linkage 158 and/or the lever 156.

FIG. 10 and FIG. 10A show an exemplary intermediate state between the lock and release state of the locking mechanism 16, which is described in further detail below. As shown in the comparison between the illustrated states of FIG. 7 and FIGS. 10 and 10A, for example, the biasing members 172 are configured to effect the bias of the locking pins 18 toward their release positions when the connection point of the actuator linkage 158 to the lever 156 (e.g., connector 164) moves beyond the lever's over-center position 152 (e.g., threshold position, as shown in FIG. 10A) in a second direction (e.g., the lever 156 is rotated clockwise from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIGS. 10 and 10A), thereby tensioning the biasing members 172. As noted above, in this position (FIG. 10) the actuator linkage 158 is in its hold position, such that the biasing force of the actuator biasing member 168 is negated due to the configuration of the locking mechanism 16, and thus does not cause movement of the actuator linkage 158 toward lock.

On the other hand, when the connection point of the actuator linkage 158 at the lever 156 (e.g., connector 164) is moved beyond the lever's over-center position 152 (e.g., threshold position) in the opposite direction (e.g. the lever 156 is rotated counterclockwise from the position shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 to the position shown in FIG. 7), the biasing members 172 connected to the locking pins 18 are relaxed and do not bias the locking pins 18 inwardly toward their release positions; rather, the actuator linkage 158 is biased via its biasing member 168 (as discussed above) and the configuration of the locking mechanism 16 now urges the cam 142 to rotate and thereby urges the locking pins 18 outwardly toward their lock positions via the locking pin linkages 140.

In other words, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, when the lever 156 is operated to rotate the actuator linkage 158 such that the connection point of the actuator linkage 158 at the lever 156 (e.g., connector 164) is moved beyond the lever's over-center position 152 (e.g., threshold position) in the first direction (e.g., the lever 156 moves counterclockwise from the position in FIG. 11 to the position in FIG. 7), then the biasing member 168 of the actuator linkage 158 begins to bias the actuator linkage 158 toward its lock position (e.g., left), which thereby drives the locking pins 18 via the cam 142 and locking pin linkages 140 toward their respective lock positions. In this state (FIG. 7), the biasing members 172 connected to the locking pins 18 are relaxed, and thus the net bias when the actuator linkage 158 is moved beyond the lever's over-center position 152 in this direction (e.g., counterclockwise) is to bias the locking members 18 toward the locked (extended) position.

On the other hand, when the actuator linkage 158 is moved beyond the lever's over-center position 152 in the opposite direction to its release position (e.g., the lever 156 moves clockwise from the position in FIG. 7 to the position in in FIGS. 10 and 11), then the actuator linkage 158 is in its hold position, such that the biasing force of the actuator's biasing member 168 is negated due to the configuration of the locking mechanism 16, and thus the biasing member 168 does not urge the actuator linkage 158 back toward its lock position. Consequently, because the actuator linkage 158 is in this hold position and is not urged toward lock, the cam 142 and locking pins 18 also are not urged back toward lock. Rather, in this state (FIG. 10, for example) the biasing members 172 of the locking pins are tensioned, and the net bias when the actuator linkage 158 is moved beyond the over-center position 152 in this direction is to bias the locking members 18 toward the release (retracted) position. Such functionally of the locking mechanism 16 is discussed in further detail below in the context of the method of mounting and dismounting the plow assembly 10 from the vehicle mounting frame 76.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 7, 10 and 11, an exemplary method of operating the locking mechanism 16 to mount or dismount the plow assembly 10 from the mounting frame 76 will be described in further detail.

Referring initially to FIG. 7, the locking mechanism 16 is shown in an exemplary lock state. In the illustrated state, the lever 156 (e.g., foot pedal) of the actuator 128 is pivoted toward its lock position (e.g. counterclockwise in FIG. 7), which has moved the actuator linkage 158 toward its lock position (e.g., toward the left in FIG. 7). As shown, the connector 164 of the actuator linkage 158 has rotated about the axis 162 of the lever 156 beyond the lever's over-center position 152 (e.g., threshold position). In addition, the actuator linkage 158 has rotated the cam 142 about its rotational axis 162 (e.g. clockwise in FIG. 7) via the connector 150 a. The respective connectors 150 of the cam 142 have slid axially in the elongated slots 154 of the locking pin linkages 140 to the respective end of the slots 154, thereby driving the locking pin linkages 140 to move with the movement of the cam 142. The locking pin linkages 140 connected to cam 142 simultaneously have moved the locking pins 18 along the transverse axis 130 to extend outwardly through the respective through-holes (132, 133, 138) in the receivers 118 and mounting brackets 116. In this manner, the locking pins 18 engage the mounting brackets 116 of the vehicle mounting frame 76 along with the receivers 118 of the lift frame 28 to create an interference to the relative movement between the mounting brackets 116 and the lift frame 28, thus securing the plow assembly 10 to the mounting frame 76.

In exemplary embodiments, prior to actuating the locking mechanism 16 toward its release state for dismounting the plow assembly 10, the operator may first pull down on the chain lift arm 60 to retract the lift cylinder 56, thereby providing some slack on the chain 62 to facilitate dismounting of the plow assembly 10. In addition, the operator may lower the stand 22 via the exemplary stand assembly 20, and lock the stand 22 in place to support a portion of the plow assembly 10 for dismounting.

Turning to FIG. 10, the dismounting process may continue by actuating the locking mechanism 16 toward its release state. In the illustrated state in FIG. 10, the locking mechanism 16 is shown in an exemplary intermediate state between its lock state (FIG. 7) and its release state (FIG. 11), in which the locking pins 18 are loaded by the weight of the plow assembly 10 and are ready for automatic retraction to the release state. As shown in this intermediate state (FIG. 10), the lever 156 of the actuator 128 is pivoted toward its release position (e.g. pivoted clockwise in FIG. 10), which has moved the actuator linkage 158 toward its release position (e.g., toward the right in FIG. 10). As shown, the connector 164 of the actuator linkage 158 has rotated about the axis 162 of the lever 156 beyond the lever's over-center position 152 (e.g., threshold position). In addition, the actuator linkage 158 has rotated the cam 142 about its rotational axis 146 (e.g. counterclockwise in FIG. 10) via the connector 150 a. In this position, the actuator linkage 158 is in its hold state, in which the actuator's biasing member 168 is tensioned, yet the biasing force of the actuator's biasing member 168 is negated due to the configuration of the locking mechanism 16, such that the actuator linkage 158 is not urged back toward its lock position (e.g., to rotate the cam 142 clockwise), rather the actuator linkage 158 is selectively held in place in this position.

As shown in FIG. 10, the respective connectors 150 of the cam 142 have simultaneously slid axially in the respective elongated slots 154 of the locking pin linkages 140 to the opposite end of the slots 154. This tensions the biasing members 172 of the locking pins 18, thereby generating a biasing force that urges the locking pins 18 to retract inwardly. However, because the locking pins 18 are loaded by the weight of the plow assembly 10 they are prevented from such retraction. In this manner, the ability to slide within the elongated slots 154 has provided a degree of slack to the movement of the locking pins 18 while placing them in a biased state that will enable automatic retraction once the load on the locking pins 18 is removed. Such feature avoids the forceful withdrawal of the locking pins 18 from the through-holes (132, 133, 138), which otherwise could wear the locking pins 18, mounting brackets 116, and/or lift frame receivers 118.

Turning to FIG. 11, the locking mechanism 16 is shown in its exemplary release state with the snow plow assembly 10 dismounted from the mounting frame 76 of the vehicle 14. Following from the intermediate (loaded) state described above with respect to FIG. 10, and prior to withdrawing the mounting frame brackets 116 from the lift frame receivers 118, the operator may push on the lift frame 28 of the plow assembly 10 to relieve the load on the locking pins 18. As noted above with respect to FIG. 10, the locking pins 18 are held in a loaded biased state due to the weight of the lift frame 28, but once this load is sufficiently released, the bias caused by the lock pin biasing members 172 causes the locking pins 18 to automatically retract to their release positions (as shown in FIG. 11). In this state (FIG. 11), the locking pins 18 are moved axially inwardly to withdraw from at least the through-holes 133 in the outer receiver portions 124 and the through-holes 138 in the mounting brackets 116. This retraction of the locking pins 18 clears the interference between the mounting brackets 116 and the lift frame receivers 118, thereby permitting relative movement therebetween and releasable dismounting of the plow assembly 10 from the vehicle mounting frame 76. After the locking pins 18 have been moved to their respective release positions and cleared away from interference with the mounting brackets 116, the operator may activate the mount switch 74 to tilt the lift frame 28 forwardly to release the hooks 126 from the push bar 120 of the mounting frame 76. The operator may then back the vehicle 14 away from the plow assembly 10 (as shown in FIG. 4, for example).

The procedure for mounting the plow assembly 10 to the vehicle 14 is essentially the reverse of the foregoing steps and will be described further below. Initially the operator may ensure that the lever 156 of the locking mechanism actuator 128 is in its release position and that the lock pins 18 are fully retracted from the gap between the inner and outer lift frame members 122, 124 that form the lift frame receivers 118. Before driving the vehicle 14 to engage the lift frame 28, the operator may activate the mount switch 74 to raise or lower the rear of the lift frame 28 to obtain the desired elevation of the lift frame hooks 126 relative to the elevation of the push bar 120. The operator may then drive the vehicle 14 toward the lift frame 28 so that the push bar 120 engages with the hooks 126 of the lift frame 28 and the mounting brackets 116 are properly received within the mounting receivers 118. The operator may further activate the mount switch 74 to drop the rear of the lift frame 28 to be supported on the push bar 120. The operator also may push down on the chain lift arm 60 to retract the lift cylinder 56, thereby creating slack on the lift chain 62 and facilitating ease of mounting.

After the foregoing mounting steps, the actuator lever 156 (e.g., foot pedal) may be moved toward its lock position as discussed above with reference to FIG. 7. As discussed above, the rotation of the lever 156 about its pivot axis 162 will move the actuator linkage 158 and rotate the cam 142 (e.g., clockwise in FIG. 7) via the connector 150 a. As noted above, prior to moving the connection point of the actuator linkage 158 at the lever 156 (e.g., connector 164) beyond the lever's over-center position 152 (e.g., in the counterclockwise direction), the locking mechanism 16 is configured to provide a hold state that does not urge the actuator linkage 158 toward its lock position. Once the connector 164 of the actuator linkage 158 moves beyond the lever's over-center position 152 (e.g., counterclockwise), however, the actuator biasing member 168 is in a state of tension and the locking mechanism 16 is configured to cause the actuator linkage 158 to be urged via the biasing member 168 toward the lock position. This bias of the actuator linkage 158 thereby puts the locking pins 18 in a biased state toward their respective locking positions via the biasing force exerted by the actuator linkage 158 that drives the cam 142 in this direction.

During the locking process, if the through holes 132, 133 of the receivers 118 are not properly aligned with the through holes 138 of the mounting bracket 116, the locking pins 18 may abut the side of the mounting bracket 116 and thus will be prevented from passing through the mounting bracket through-hole 138 to fully extend to their lock positions. However, because the locking pins 18 are in a state of being biased toward the lock position due to the bias on the actuator linkage 158 (as discussed above), the operator need only push on the lift frame 28 to align the through holes 132, 133, 138, which once aligned will allow the locking pins to automatically extend through the aligned holes to the fully locked position. In this manner, the snow plow assembly 10 is mounted and secured to the mounting frame 76 of the vehicle 14. The operator may then insert a snapper pin 174 to prevent unintended movement of the actuator lever 156 to the release position. The operator may then raise the stand 22 of the stand assembly 20 to an elevated position, and lock the stand 22 in place (as shown in FIG. 3, for example). In this manner, the snow plow assembly 10 may be fully supported by the mounting frame 76 of the vehicle and is ready for use.

An exemplary snow plow assembly having an exemplary mounting assembly including an exemplary locking mechanism has been described herein. In exemplary embodiments, the locking mechanism may be configured such that a locking member is biased toward a lock position when an actuator is moved in a first direction beyond a threshold position, and the locking member is biased toward a release position when the actuator is moved in an opposite direction beyond the threshold position. Alternatively or additionally, in exemplary embodiments the locking mechanism may include a plurality of locking members that are simultaneously moved between lock and release positions when the actuator effects such simultaneous movement. Alternatively or additionally, in exemplary embodiments the snow plow assembly may include a stand assembly having a stand that can freely drop from an elevated position to the ground when actuated to release the stand.

It is understood that although a preferred configuration of the exemplary snow plow assembly 10 including the exemplary locking mechanism 16 and/or the exemplary stand assembly 20 has been described and shown, it would be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that locking mechanism 16 and/or the exemplary stand assembly 20 designs could also be used with the present invention. For example, although the locking members are shown as locking pins that are linearly movable, other suitable locking members such as rotationally movable locking members may be employed. Likewise, although the locking mechanism includes a cam that translates linear movement of the actuator to rotational movement of the cam, which translates this rotational movement to linear movement of the pins, other suitable configurations of the actuator and locking members may be employed, such as wholly or predominantly linear motion of each of the locking members and/or actuator, or such as wholly or predominantly rotational motion of each of the locking members and/or actuator, as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, although the threshold position is shown as an over-center position of the lever, other suitable threshold positions may be utilized depending on the configuration of the locking mechanism, as would be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art. The invention is not limited to any particular snow plow assembly design, but rather is appropriate for a wide variety of commercially-available snow plow assemblies. Furthermore, although the principles and aspects of the present invention have particular application to snow plow assemblies, it is understood that such principles and aspects may be applicable to other plow assemblies in general, or to other vehicle mounted or machine accessories.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a snow plow mounting assembly having a locking mechanism with an automatic locking feature for securely mounting the plow assembly to a vehicle when the locking mechanism is actuated in one direction, and has an automatic unlocking feature for releasably dismounting the plow assembly from the vehicle when the locking mechanism is actuated in another direction.

According to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow mounting assembly includes: a snow plow frame configured to be mounted to a mounting frame of a vehicle; a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the locking mechanism having an actuator and a locking member, the actuator being operatively coupled to the locking member and configured to selectively move the locking member between a lock position for securing the snow plow frame to the mounting frame of the vehicle, and a release position for enabling the snow plow frame to be dismounted from the mounting frame; wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that the locking member is biased toward the lock position when the actuator is moved in a first direction beyond a threshold position, and the locking member is biased toward the release position when the actuator is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction beyond the threshold position.

According to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow mounting assembly having a locking mechanism with locking members that are simultaneously moved between lock and release positions when the locking mechanism is actuated to effect such simultaneous movement.

According to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow mounting assembly includes: a snow plow frame having laterally spaced apart first and second receivers configured to receive corresponding first and second mounting brackets of a mounting frame of a vehicle for enabling the snow plow frame to be mounted to the vehicle; a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the locking mechanism including: a first locking member configured to interface with the first receiver of the snow plow frame; a second locking member configured to interface with the second receiver of the snow plow frame; and an actuator operatively coupled to both the first and second locking members, wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that movement of the actuator in a first direction simultaneously moves the first and second locking members toward respective lock positions for securing the first and second receivers to the respective first and second mounting brackets thereby mounting the snow plow frame to the mounting frame of the vehicle; and wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that movement of the actuator in a second direction opposite the first direction simultaneously moves the first and second locking members toward respective release positions for enabling the respective first and second mounting brackets to be removed from the first and second receivers thereby enabling dismounting of the snow plow frame from the mounting frame of the vehicle.

According to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow assembly having a stand that can freely drop from an elevated position to the ground when a stand locking mechanism is actuated to release the stand, and in which the stand is locked in position to support at least part of the snow plow frame when the stand locking mechanism is actuated to lock the stand.

According to an aspect of the invention, a snow plow assembly includes: a snow plow frame; a stand assembly operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the stand assembly including: a stand that is axially moveable relative to the snow plow frame between a lower position in which the stand engages the ground and supports at least a portion of the snow plow frame, and an upper position in which the stand is elevated above the ground; and a stand locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the stand locking mechanism having an actuator and a locking member, wherein the actuator is operatively coupled to the locking member and is configured to move the locking member between a lock position in which the locking member engages and secures the stand in either the upper or lower position, and a release position in which the locking member disengages from the stand to allow the stand to freely move between the upper and lower positions.

Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the foregoing aspects, separately or in any combination, which may be combined with one or more of the following additional features, which may be added separately or in any combination.

In some embodiments, the locking member further includes a first biasing member operatively coupled to the actuator, the locking mechanism being configured such that the first biasing member urges the actuator to move the locking member toward the lock position when the actuator is moved in the first direction beyond the threshold position.

In some embodiments, the locking mechanism further includes a second biasing member operatively coupled to the locking member, the locking mechanism being configured such that the second biasing member urges the locking member toward the release position when the actuator is moved in the second direction beyond the threshold position.

In some embodiments, the locking member is configured as a locking pin that is configured to move linearly along an axis between the lock and release positions through a hole in the frame to engage or disengage from the mounting frame.

In some embodiments, the locking mechanism further includes a locking pin linkage operatively coupled to the locking pin and operatively coupled to the actuator for enabling the actuator to move locking pin.

In some embodiments, the locking mechanism further includes a cam that is operatively coupled to the actuator and is operatively coupled to the locking pin linkage.

In some embodiments, the actuator includes an actuator linkage operatively coupled to cam, such that movement of the actuator linkage moves the cam about a rotation axis, thereby moving the locking pin linkage which moves the locking pin linearly between the lock and release positions.

In some embodiments, movement of the actuator in the first direction beyond the threshold position causes the actuator linkage to rotate the cam in a first rotational direction, thereby linearly moving the locking pin outwardly away from the cam and toward the lock position.

In some embodiments, movement of the actuator in the second direction beyond the threshold position causes the actuator linkage to rotate the cam in a second opposite rotational direction, thereby linearly moving the locking pin inwardly toward the cam and toward the release position.

In some embodiments, the threshold position is an over-center position of the lever.

In some embodiments, the actuator includes an actuator linkage that is connected to the lever via a connector at a position offset from a center of rotation of the lever.

In some embodiments, movement of the actuator linkage in the first direction causes the actuator linkage to rotate the cam in a first rotational direction, and when the actuator linkage is moved in the first direction such that the connector of the actuator linkage moves beyond the over-center position of the lever, the first biasing member is activated to automatically urge the actuator linkage further in the first direction, thereby rotating the cam further in the first rotational direction, which biases the locking pin via the locking pin linkage toward the lock position.

In some embodiments, movement of the actuator linkage in the second direction causes the actuator linkage to rotate the cam in a second opposite rotational direction, and when the actuator linkage is moved in the second direction such that the connector of the actuator linkage moves beyond the over-center position of the lever to a hold position in which the biasing force of the first biasing member is negated, and the second biasing member is activated to urge the locking pin toward the release position.

In some embodiments, the locking pin linkage includes a slot through which a connector of the cam is slidably received for driving the locking pin linkage and thereby the locking pin.

In some embodiments, the locking pin linkage includes a stop that restricts movement beyond a certain point when the actuator is moved in the second direction.

In some embodiments, the actuator linkage is configured as an actuator arm, the actuator further including a lever pivotably connected to the actuator arm, such that pivoting of the lever about a pivot axis moves the actuator arm which thereby moves the cam.

In some embodiments, the locking mechanism further includes a second locking pin operatively coupled to a second locking pin linkage which is operatively coupled to the cam, in which rotational movement of the cam causes simultaneous linear movement of both the first locking pin and second locking pin.

In some embodiments, the locking members are each configured as locking pins that are each configured to move linearly along an axis between the lock and release positions through respective hole in the first and second receivers to engage or disengage from the respective first and second mounting brackets.

In some embodiments, the locking mechanism further includes respective locking pin linkages operatively coupled to the locking pins and operatively coupled to the actuator for enabling the actuator to move locking pins.

In some embodiments, the locking mechanism further includes a cam that is operatively coupled to the actuator and is operatively coupled to the locking pin linkage.

In some embodiments, the actuator includes an actuator linkage operatively coupled to cam, such that movement of the actuator linkage moves the cam about a rotation axis, thereby simultaneously moving the locking pin linkages which simultaneously moves the locking pins linearly between the lock and release positions.

In some embodiments, the actuator linkage is configured as an actuator arm, the actuator further including a lever pivotably connected to the actuator arm, such that pivoting of the lever about a pivot axis moves the actuator arm which thereby moves the cam.

In some embodiments, the actuator of the stand assembly is linearly moveable along a first axis, and the locking member of the stand assembly is linearly movable along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis.

As used herein, an “operable connection,” or a connection by which entities are “operably connected,” is one in which the entities are connected in such a way that the entities may perform as intended. An operable connection may be a direct connection or an indirect connection in which an intermediate entity or entities cooperate or otherwise are part of the connection or are in between the operably connected entities.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described elements (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such elements are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any element which performs the specified function of the described element (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiment or embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one or more of several illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. 

1. A snow plow mounting assembly comprising: a snow plow frame configured to be mounted to a mounting frame of a vehicle; a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the locking mechanism having an actuator and a locking member, the actuator being operatively coupled to the locking member and configured to selectively move the locking member between a lock position for securing the snow plow frame to the mounting frame of the vehicle, and a release position for enabling the snow plow frame to be dismounted from the mounting frame; wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that the locking member is biased toward the lock position when the actuator is moved in a first direction beyond a threshold position, and the locking member is biased toward the release position when the actuator is moved in a second direction opposite the first direction beyond the threshold position.
 2. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locking member further includes a first biasing member operatively coupled to the actuator, the locking mechanism being configured such that the first biasing member urges the actuator to move the locking member toward the lock position when the actuator is moved in the first direction beyond the threshold position; and wherein the locking mechanism further includes a second biasing member operatively coupled to the locking member, the locking mechanism being configured such that the second biasing member urges the locking member toward the release position when the actuator is moved in the second direction beyond the threshold position.
 3. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 2, wherein the locking member is configured as a locking pin that is configured to move linearly along an axis between the lock and release positions through a hole in the frame to engage or disengage from the mounting frame.
 4. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 3, wherein the locking mechanism further includes a locking pin linkage operatively coupled to the locking pin and operatively coupled to the actuator for enabling the actuator to move locking pin.
 5. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 4, wherein the locking mechanism further includes a cam that is operatively coupled to the actuator and is operatively coupled to the locking pin linkage.
 6. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 5, wherein the actuator includes an actuator linkage operatively coupled to cam, such that movement of the actuator linkage moves the cam about a rotation axis, thereby moving the locking pin linkage which moves the locking pin linearly between the lock and release positions.
 7. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 6, wherein movement of the actuator in the first direction beyond the threshold position causes the actuator linkage to rotate the cam in a first rotational direction, thereby linearly moving the locking pin outwardly away from the cam and toward the lock position; and wherein movement of the actuator in the second direction beyond the threshold position causes the actuator linkage to rotate the cam in a second opposite rotational direction, thereby linearly moving the locking pin inwardly toward the cam and toward the release position.
 8. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 5, wherein the threshold position is an over-center position of the lever.
 9. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 8, wherein the actuator includes an actuator linkage that is connected to the lever via a connector at a position offset from a center of rotation of the lever; wherein, movement of the actuator linkage in the first direction causes the actuator linkage to rotate the cam in a first rotational direction, and when the actuator linkage is moved in the first direction such that the connector of the actuator linkage moves beyond the over-center position of the lever, the first biasing member is activated to automatically urge the actuator linkage further in the first direction, thereby rotating the cam further in the first rotational direction, which biases the locking pin via the locking pin linkage toward the lock position; and/or wherein, movement of the actuator linkage in the second direction causes the actuator linkage to rotate the cam in a second opposite rotational direction, and when the actuator linkage is moved in the second direction such that the connector of the actuator linkage moves beyond the over-center position of the lever to a hold position in which the biasing force of the first biasing member is negated, and the second biasing member is activated to urge the locking pin toward the release position.
 10. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 4, wherein the locking pin linkage includes a slot through which a connector of the cam is slidably received for driving the locking pin linkage and thereby the locking pin.
 11. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 4, wherein the locking pin linkage includes a stop that restricts movement beyond a certain point when the actuator is moved in the second direction.
 12. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 6, wherein the actuator linkage is configured as an actuator arm, the actuator further including a lever pivotably connected to the actuator arm, such that pivoting of the lever about a pivot axis moves the actuator arm which thereby moves the cam.
 13. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 5, wherein the locking mechanism further includes a second locking pin operatively coupled to a second locking pin linkage which is operatively coupled to the cam, in which rotational movement of the cam causes simultaneous linear movement of both the first locking pin and second locking pin.
 14. A snow plow mounting assembly comprising: a snow plow frame having laterally spaced apart first and second receivers configured to receive corresponding first and second mounting brackets of a mounting frame of a vehicle for enabling the snow plow frame to be mounted to the vehicle; a locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the locking mechanism comprising: a first locking member configured to interface with the first receiver of the snow plow frame; a second locking member configured to interface with the second receiver of the snow plow frame; and an actuator operatively coupled to both the first and second locking members, wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that movement of the actuator in a first direction simultaneously moves the first and second locking members toward respective lock positions for securing the first and second receivers to the respective first and second mounting brackets thereby mounting the snow plow frame to the mounting frame of the vehicle; and wherein the locking mechanism is configured such that movement of the actuator in a second direction opposite the first direction simultaneously moves the first and second locking members toward respective release positions for enabling the respective first and second mounting brackets to be removed from the first and second receivers thereby enabling dismounting of the snow plow frame from the mounting frame of the vehicle.
 15. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the locking members are each configured as locking pins that are each configured to move linearly along an axis between the lock and release positions through respective hole in the first and second receivers to engage or disengage from the respective first and second mounting brackets.
 16. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 15, wherein the locking mechanism further includes respective locking pin linkages operatively coupled to the locking pins and operatively coupled to the actuator for enabling the actuator to move locking pins.
 17. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 16, wherein the locking mechanism further includes a cam that is operatively coupled to the actuator and is operatively coupled to the locking pin linkage.
 18. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 17, wherein the actuator includes an actuator linkage operatively coupled to cam, such that movement of the actuator linkage moves the cam about a rotation axis, thereby simultaneously moving the locking pin linkages which simultaneously moves the locking pins linearly between the lock and release positions.
 19. The snow plow mounting assembly according to claim 18, wherein the actuator linkage is configured as an actuator arm, the actuator further including a lever pivotably connected to the actuator arm, such that pivoting of the lever about a pivot axis moves the actuator arm which thereby moves the cam.
 20. A snow plow assembly comprising: a snow plow frame; a stand assembly operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the stand assembly comprising: a stand that is axially moveable relative to the snow plow frame between a lower position in which the stand engages the ground and supports at least a portion of the snow plow frame, and an upper position in which the stand is elevated above the ground; and a stand locking mechanism operatively coupled to the snow plow frame, the stand locking mechanism having an actuator and a locking member, wherein the actuator is operatively coupled to the locking member and is configured to move the locking member between a lock position in which the locking member engages and secures the stand in either the upper or lower position, and a release position in which the locking member disengages from the stand to allow the stand to freely move between the upper and lower positions.
 21. The snow plow assembly according to claim 20, wherein the actuator is linearly moveable along a first axis, and the locking member is linearly movable along a second axis that is transverse to the first axis. 